[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8273 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8273

  To establish programs and authorities to facilitate the commercial 
  application of clean energy and related technologies in the United 
                                States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 16, 2020

Ms. Johnson of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred 
           to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish programs and authorities to facilitate the commercial 
  application of clean energy and related technologies in the United 
                                States.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Energizing 
Technology Transfer Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
      TITLE I--NATIONAL CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAMS

Sec. 101. Regional clean energy innovation program.
Sec. 102. National clean energy incubator program.
Sec. 103. Clean energy technology university prize competition.
Sec. 104. Clean energy technology transfer coordination.
      TITLE II--SUPPORTING TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AT THE NATIONAL 
                              LABORATORIES

Sec. 201. Lab partnering service pilot program.
Sec. 202. Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program.
Sec. 203. Small business voucher program.
Sec. 204. Entrepreneurial leave program.
Sec. 205. National laboratory employee outside employment authority.
Sec. 206. Technology commercialization fund.
Sec. 207. Signature authority.
             TITLE III--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY MODERNIZATION

Sec. 301. Technology Transfer Program.
Sec. 302. Management of demonstration projects.
Sec. 303. Streamlining prize competitions.
Sec. 304. Milestone-based demonstration projects.
Sec. 305. Cost-share waiver extension.
Sec. 306. Special hiring authority for scientific, engineering, and 
                            project management personnel.
Sec. 307. Technology transfer reports and evaluation.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) In order to achieve domestic and international net-zero 
        greenhouse gas emissions targets, a rapid and substantial 
        investment in clean energy innovation is needed.
            (2) Clean energy technologies face unique obstacles to 
        successful commercial application, including high up-front 
        capital costs, long development times, and the need to displace 
        incumbent technologies in highly regulated markets.
            (3) Multiple technology development and financing gaps 
        exist in the clean energy innovation and commercial application 
        landscape that are not currently met by private sector 
        investment alone.
            (4) Federal investments in technology transfer and 
        demonstration programs help fill existing gaps in the 
        innovation cycle and improve the likelihood of successful and 
        timely commercial application of clean energy technologies.
            (5) To maximize clean energy innovation's positive impact 
        on United States economic competitiveness and reach net-zero 
        greenhouse gas emissions, the Department of Energy must show 
        significant leadership in enabling the transfer of new 
        technologies to the private sector, particularly through the 
        Office of Technology Transitions.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Clean energy technology.--The term ``clean energy 
        technology'' means a technology that significantly reduces 
        energy use, increases energy efficiency, reduces greenhouse gas 
        emissions, reduces emissions of other pollutants, or mitigates 
        other negative environmental consequences.
            (2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
        Department of Energy.
            (3) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        each National Laboratory and the Director of each Department of 
        Energy single-purpose research facility.
            (4) Economically distressed area.--The term ``economically 
        distressed area'' has the meaning described in section 301(a) 
        of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 
        U.S.C. 3161(a)).
            (5) Grant.--The term ``grant'' means a grant award, 
        cooperative agreement award, or any other financial assistance 
        arrangement that the Secretary of Energy determines to be 
        appropriate.
            (6) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
        term in the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 
        1001).
            (7) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory'' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 2 of the Energy 
        Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
            (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.

      TITLE I--NATIONAL CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAMS

SEC. 101. REGIONAL CLEAN ENERGY INNOVATION PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Regional clean energy innovation partnership.--The term 
        ``regional clean energy innovation partnership'' means a group 
        of one or more persons, including a covered consortium, who 
        perform a collection of activities that are coordinated by such 
        covered consortium to carry out the purposes of the program 
        under subsection (c) in a region of the United States.
            (2) Covered consortium.--The term ``covered consortium'' 
        means an individual or group of individuals in partnership with 
        a government entity, including a State, local, or tribal 
        government or unit of such government, and at least 2 or more 
        of the following additional entities--
                    (A) an institution of higher education or higher 
                education consortium;
                    (B) a workforce training provider, including 
                vocational schools and community colleges;
                    (C) a private sector entity;
                    (D) a nonprofit organization;
                    (E) a community group;
                    (F) a labor group;
                    (G) a National Laboratory;
                    (H) a venture development organization;
                    (I) an organization focused on clean energy 
                technology innovation or entrepreneurship;
                    (J) a business accelerator or incubator;
                    (K) a private sector entity or group of entities, 
                including a trade or industry association;
                    (L) an economic development organization;
                    (M) a manufacturing facility or organization;
                    (N) a clean energy incubator or accelerator; or
                    (O) any other entity that the Secretary determines 
                to be relevant.
            (3) Program.--The term ``program'' means the Regional Clean 
        Energy Innovation Program authorized in subsection (b).
            (4) Frontline community.--The term ``frontline community'' 
        means a community with significant representation of 
        communities of color, low-income communities, or Tribal and 
        indigenous communities, that experiences, or is at risk of 
        experiencing higher or more adverse human health or 
        environmental effects.
    (b) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a Regional Clean 
Energy Innovation Program, a research, development, demonstration, and 
commercial application program designed to accelerate the pace of 
innovation of clean energy technologies through the formation or 
support of regional clean energy innovation partnerships that--
            (1) are responsive to the energy resources, needs of 
        industry, workforce, policy landscape, and clean energy 
        innovation capabilities of the region of the country in which 
        such partnership is located;
            (2) enhance and accelerate clean energy innovation; and
            (3) are located in diverse geographic regions of the United 
        States, including United States territories.
    (c) Purposes of the Program.--The purposes of the program 
established under subsection (a) are to--
            (1) improve the competitiveness of United States clean 
        energy technology research, development, demonstration, and 
        commercial application; and
            (2) support the development of tools and technologies best 
        suited for use in low-income and frontline communities.
    (d) Regional Clean Energy Innovation Partnerships.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall competitively award 
        grants to covered consortia to establish or support regional 
        clean energy innovation partnerships that achieve the purposes 
        of the program in subsection (c).
            (2) Permissible activities.--Grants awarded under this 
        subsection shall be used for activities determined appropriate 
        by the Secretary to achieve the purposes of the program in 
        subsection (c), including--
                    (A) facilitating the commercial application of 
                clean energy products, processes, and services, 
                including through research, development, demonstration, 
                technology transfer, or support of clean energy 
                companies;
                    (B) planning among participants of a regional clean 
                energy innovation partnership to improve the strategic 
                coordination of the partnership;
                    (C) improving stakeholder involvement in the 
                development of goals and activities of a regional clean 
                energy innovation partnership;
                    (D) assessing different incentive mechanisms for 
                clean energy development and commercial application in 
                the region;
                    (E) hosting events and conferences; and
                    (F) establishing and updating roadmaps to measure 
                progress on relevant goals, such as those relevant to 
                metrics developed under subsection (h).
            (3) Applications.--Each application submitted to the 
        Secretary under paragraph (1) may include--
                    (A) a list of members and roles of members of the 
                covered consortia, as well as any other stakeholders 
                supporting the activities of the regional clean energy 
                innovation partnership;
                    (B) a description of the proposed outcomes of the 
                regional clean energy innovation partnership;
                    (C) an assessment of the relevant clean energy 
                innovation assets needed in a region to achieve 
                proposed outcomes, such as education and training 
                programs, research facilities, infrastructure or site 
                development, access to capital, manufacturing 
                capabilities, or other assets;
                    (D) a description of proposed activities that the 
                regional clean energy innovation partnership plans to 
                undertake and how the proposed activities will achieve 
                the purposes described in subsection (c) and the 
                proposed outcomes in subparagraph (B);
                    (E) a description of the geographical region that 
                will engage in the partnership;
                    (F) a plan for attracting additional funds and 
                identification of funding sources from non-Federal 
                sources to deliver the proposed outcomes of the 
                regional clean energy innovation partnership; and
                    (G) a plan for sustaining activities of the 
                regional clean energy innovation partnership after 
                funds received under this program have been expended.
            (4) Considerations.--In selecting covered consortia for 
        funding under the program, the Secretary shall--
                    (A) give special consideration to applications from 
                entities located in an economically distressed area; 
                and
                    (B) ensure that there is geographic diversity among 
                the covered consortia selected to receive funding.
            (5) Award amount.--Grants given out under this Program 
        shall be in an amount not greater than $10,000,000, with the 
        total grant award in any year less than that in the previous 
        year.
            (6) Cost share.--For grants that are disbursed over the 
        course of three or more years, the Secretary shall require, as 
        a condition of receipt of funds under this section, that a 
        covered consortium provide not less than 50 percent of the 
        funding for the activities of the regional clean energy 
        partnership under this section for years 3, 4, and 5.
            (7) Duration.--Each grant under paragraph (1) shall be for 
        a period of not longer than 5 years.
            (8) Renewal.--A grant award made to a regional clean energy 
        innovation partnership under this section may be renewed for a 
        period of not more than 5 years, subject to a rigorous merit 
        review based on the progress of a regional clean energy 
        innovation partnership towards achieving the purposes of the 
        program in section (c) and the metrics developed under section 
        (h).
            (9) Administrative costs.--The Secretary may allow a 
        covered consortium that receives funds under this section to 
        allocate a portion of the funding received to be used for 
        administrative or indirect costs.
            (10) Funding.--The Secretary may accept funds from other 
        Federal agencies to support funding and activities under this 
        section.
    (e) Planning Funds.--The Secretary may competitively award grants 
in an amount no greater than $2,000,000 for a period not longer than 2 
years to an entity consisting of a government entity, including a 
State, local, or tribal government or unit of such government or any 
entity listed under subsection (a)(2) to plan a regional clean energy 
innovation partnership or establish a covered consortium for the 
purpose of applying for funds under subsection (b).
    (f) Information Sharing.--As part of the program, the Secretary 
shall support the gathering, analysis, and dissemination of information 
on best practices for developing and operating successful regional 
clean energy innovation partnerships.
    (g) Metrics.--In evaluating a grant renewals under section (d)(8), 
the Secretary shall work with program evaluation experts to develop and 
make publicly available metrics to assess the progress of a regional 
clean energy innovation partnership towards achieving the purposes of 
the program in section (c). Such metrics may include--
            (1) the number and quality of--
                    (A) new clean energy companies created in the 
                region as a result of activities carried out under the 
                regional clean energy innovation partnership;
                    (B) new or expanded workforce development or 
                training programs; and
                    (C) support services provided to clean energy 
                technology developers in the region;
            (2) changes in clean energy employment in the region as a 
        result of activities carried out under the regional clean 
        energy innovation partnership; and
            (3) the amount of capital investment in clean energy 
        companies in the region as a result of activities carried out 
        under the regional clean energy innovation partnership grant.
    (h) Coordination.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary may 
coordinate with relevant programs at other Federal agencies, 
including--
            (1) the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship under the 
        Economic Development Administration, including the Regional 
        Innovation Program under section 27 of the Stevenson-Wydler 
        Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3722);
            (2) the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
        Program under section 25(a) of the National Institute of 
        Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k);
            (3) the Manufacturing USA Program under section 34(a) of 
        the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 
        U.S.C. 278s);
            (4) the Defense Manufacturing Communities Support Program 
        under section 846 of the John S. McCain National Defense 
        Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (10 U.S.C. 2501 note); 
        and
            (5) the Office of Economic Adjustment at the Department of 
        Defense.
    (i) Evaluation by Comptroller General.--Not later than 3 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 3 years 
thereafter, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate an evaluation 
on the operation of the program during the most recent 3-year period, 
including--
            (1) an assessment of the progress made towards achieving 
        the purposes specified in subsection (c) based on the metrics 
        developed under subsection (h);
            (2) the short-term and long-term metrics used to determine 
        the success of the program under subsection (h), and any 
        changes recommended to the metrics used;
            (3) the regional clean energy innovation partnerships that 
        have received grants under subsection (d); and
            (4) any recommendations on how the program may be improved.
    (j) National Laboratories.--In supporting technology transfer 
activities at the National Laboratories, the Secretary shall encourage 
partnerships with entities that are located in the same region or State 
as the National Laboratory.
    (k) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $50,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.

SEC. 102. NATIONAL CLEAN ENERGY INCUBATOR PROGRAM.

    (a) Clean Energy Incubator Defined.--In this section, the term 
``clean energy incubator''--
            (1) means any entity that is designed to accelerate the 
        commercial application of clean energy technologies by 
        providing--
                    (A) physical workspace, labs, and prototyping 
                facilities to support clean energy startups or 
                established clean energy companies; or
                    (B) companies developing such technologies with 
                support, resources, and services, including--
                            (i) access to business education and 
                        counseling;
                            (ii) mentorship opportunities; and
                            (iii) other services rendered for the 
                        purpose of aiding the development and 
                        commercial application of a clean energy 
                        technology; and
            (2) may include a program within or established by a 
        National Laboratory, an institution of higher education or a 
        State, local, or tribal government.
    (b) Program Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the Technology 
Transfer Coordinator established in section 1001(a) of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16391(a)), shall establish a Clean Energy 
Incubator Program (herein referred to as the ``program'') to 
competitively award grants to clean energy incubators.
    (c) Clean Energy Incubator Selection.--In awarding grants to clean 
energy incubators under subsection (b), the Secretary shall prioritize 
funding clean energy incubators that--
            (1) partner with entities that carry out activities 
        relevant to the activities of such incubator and that operate 
        at the local, State, and regional levels;
            (2) support the commercial application activities of 
        startup companies focused on physical hardware, computational, 
        or integrated hardware and software technologies;
            (3) are located in geographically diverse regions of the 
        United States;
            (4) are located in, or partner with entities located in, 
        economically-distressed areas;
            (5) support the development of entities focused on 
        expanding clean energy tools and technologies to low-income and 
        frontline communities;
            (6) support the commercial application of technologies 
        being developed by clean energy entrepreneurs from 
        underrepresented backgrounds; and
            (7) have a plan for sustaining activities of the incubator 
        after grant funds received under this program have been 
        expended.
    (d) Award Limits.--The Secretary shall not award more than 
$4,000,000 to one or more incubators in one given State, per fiscal 
year.
    (e) Duration.--Each grant under subsection (b) shall be for a 
period of no longer than 5 years, subject to the availability of 
appropriations.
    (f) Use of Funds.--An entity receiving a grant under this section 
may use grant amounts for operating expenses.
    (g) Renewal.--An award made to a clean energy incubator under this 
section may be renewed for a period of not more than 3 years, subject 
to merit review.
    (h) Evaluation.--In accordance with section 307(b) of this Act, the 
Secretary shall submit 3 years after the enactment of this Act and 
every 3 years thereafter to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources of the Senate an evaluation of the program 
established under this section that includes analyses of the 
performance of the clean energy incubators.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $15,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.

SEC. 103. CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY PRIZE COMPETITION.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        nonprofit entity, an institution of higher education, or an 
        entity working with one or more institutes of higher education.
            (2) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
        serving institution'' means an institution described in section 
        371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1067q(a)).
    (b) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a program, known as 
the ``Clean Energy Technology University Prize'', to award funding for 
eligible entities to carry out regional and one national clean energy 
technology prize competitions, under section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler 
Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719). In carrying out 
such prize competitions, students shall compete to develop a business 
model for furthering the commercial application of an innovative clean 
energy technology. The purpose of this program is to encourage student 
interest in clean energy technology development and to help students 
solve challenges in clean energy technology commercial application, 
with participation from diverse geographical regions of the United 
States.
    (c) Training Funding.--In carrying out this program, the Secretary 
may provide funding to train participating students in skills needed 
for the successful commercial application of clean energy technologies, 
including through virtual training sessions.
    (d) Prioritization.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary shall prioritize awarding grants to eligible entities that 
work with students at minority-serving institutions.
    (e) Coordination.--In carrying out this program, the Secretary 
shall coordinate and partner with existing clean energy technology 
prize competitions. In doing so, the Secretary may develop and 
disseminate best practices for administering prize competitions under 
this section.
    (f) Report.--In accordance with section 307(a) of this Act, the 
Secretary shall report annually on the progress and implementation of 
the program established under section (b).
    (g) Evaluation.--In accordance with section 307(b) of this Act, the 
Secretary shall submit 3 years after the enactment of this Act and 
every 3 years thereafter to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources of the Senate an evaluation on the long-term 
outcomes of the program established under this section and the progress 
towards achieving the purposes of the program in subsection (b).
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the activities authorized in 
this section $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.

SEC. 104. CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER COORDINATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Technology 
Transfer Coordinator established in section 1001(a) of the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16391(a)), shall support the coordination 
of relevant technology transfer programs, including those authorized in 
sections 101, 102, 103, 202, and 206 of this Act, that advance the 
commercial application of clean energy technologies nationally and 
across all energy sectors. In particular, the Secretary may support 
activities to--
            (1) facilitate the sharing of information on best practices 
        for successful operation of clean energy technology transfer 
        programs;
            (2) coordinate resources and improve cooperation among 
        clean energy technology transfer programs;
            (3) facilitate connections between entrepreneurs and start-
        up companies and the variety of programs related to clean 
        energy technology transfer under the Department; and
            (4) facilitate the development of metrics to measure the 
        impact of clean energy technology transfer programs on--
                    (A) advancing the development, demonstration, and 
                commercial application of clean energy technologies;
                    (B) increasing the competitiveness of United States 
                in the clean energy sector, including in manufacturing; 
                and
                    (C) commercial application of clean energy 
                technologies being developed by entrepreneurs from 
                under-represented backgrounds.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the activities in this 
section $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.

      TITLE II--SUPPORTING TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AT THE NATIONAL 
                              LABORATORIES

SEC. 201. LAB PARTNERING SERVICE PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Pilot Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Technology Transfer Coordinator established in section 1001(a) 
        of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16391(a)), shall 
        establish a Lab Partnering Service Pilot Program (hereinafter 
        in this section referred to as the ``pilot program'').
            (2) Purposes.--The purposes of the pilot program are to 
        provide services that encourage and support partnerships 
        between the National Laboratories and public and private sector 
        entities, and to improve communication of research, 
        development, demonstration, and commercial application projects 
        and opportunities at the National Laboratories to potential 
        partners through the development of a website and the provision 
        of services, in collaboration with relevant external entities.
            (3) Activities.--In carrying out this pilot program, the 
        Secretary shall--
                    (A) conduct outreach to and engage with relevant 
                public and private entities;
                    (B) identify and disseminate best practices for 
                strengthening connections between the National 
                Laboratories and public and private sector entities; 
                and
                    (C) develop a website to disseminate information 
                on--
                            (i) different partnering mechanisms for 
                        working with the National Laboratories;
                            (ii) National Laboratory experts and 
                        research areas; and
                            (iii) National Laboratory facilities and 
                        user facilities.
    (b) Metrics.--The Secretary shall support the development of 
metrics, including conversion metrics, to determine the effectiveness 
of the pilot program in achieving the purposes in subsection (a) and 
the number and types of partnerships established between public and 
private sector entities and the National Laboratories compared to 
baseline data.
    (c) Coordination.--In carrying out the activities authorized in 
this section, the Secretary shall coordinate with the Directors and 
dedicated technology transfer staff at the National Laboratories, in 
particular for matchmaking services for individual projects, which 
should be led by the National Laboratories.
    (d) Funding Employee Partnering Activities.--The Secretary shall 
delegate to the Directors the authority to compensate National 
Laboratory employees providing services under this section.
    (e) Duration.--Subject to the availability of appropriations, the 
pilot program established in this section shall operate for not less 
than 3 years and may be built off an existing program.
    (f) Evaluation.--Not later than 6 months after the completion of 
this pilot program, the Secretary shall support the evaluation of the 
success of the pilot program in achieving the purposes in subsection 
(a) and shall submit the evaluation to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate. The assessment shall 
include analyses of the performance of the pilot program based on the 
metrics developed under subsection (b).
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 
through 2023 to carry out subsections (a), (b), (c), (e), and (f) and 
$1,700,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2023 for national 
laboratory employees to provide services under subsection (d).

SEC. 202. LAB-EMBEDDED ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall competitively award grants to 
National Laboratories for the purpose of establishing or supporting 
Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Programs.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of such programs are to provide 
entrepreneurial fellows with access to National Laboratory research 
facilities, National Laboratory expertise, and mentorship to perform 
research and development and gain expertise that may be required or 
beneficial for the commercial application of research ideas.
    (c) Entrepreneurial Fellows.--An entrepreneurial fellow 
participating in a program described in subsection (a) shall be 
provided with--
            (1) opportunities for entrepreneurial training, 
        professional development, and exposure to leaders from 
        academia, industry, government, and finance who may serve as 
        advisors to or partners of the fellow;
            (2) financial and technical support for research, 
        development, and commercial application activities;
            (3) fellowship awards to cover costs of living, health 
        insurance, and travel stipends for the duration of the 
        fellowship; and
            (4) any other resources determined appropriate by the 
        Secretary.
    (d) Program Activities.--Each eligible entity that receives funding 
under this section shall support entrepreneurial fellows by providing--
            (1) access to facilities and expertise within the National 
        Laboratory;
            (2) engagement with external stakeholders; and
            (3) market and customer development opportunities.
    (e) Administration.--Eligible entities that receive grants under 
this section shall prioritize the support and success of the 
entrepreneurial fellow with regards to professional development and 
development of a relevant technology.
    (f) Partnerships.--In carrying out a Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship 
Program, a National Laboratory may partner with an external entity, 
including--
            (1) a nonprofit organization;
            (2) an institution of higher education; or
            (3) a federally owned corporation.
    (g) Metrics.--The Secretary shall support the development of short-
term and long-term metrics to assess the effectiveness of programs 
receiving a grant under subsection (a) in achieving the purposes of the 
program in subsection (a).
    (h) Evaluation.--In accordance with section 307(b) of this Act, not 
later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, and 
every 3 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate an 
evaluation of the effectiveness of the programs under subsection (a) 
based on the metrics developed pursuant to subsection (g).
    (i) Coordination.--The Secretary shall oversee the planning and 
coordination of grants under subsection (a) and shall identify and 
disseminate best practices for achieving the purposes of subsection (a) 
to eligible entities that receive grants under this section.
    (j) Interagency Collaboration.--The Secretary shall collaborate 
with other executive branch agencies, including the Department of 
Defense and other agencies with Federal laboratories, regarding 
opportunities to partner with programs receiving a grant under 
subsection (a).
    (k) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the activities authorized in 
this section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.

SEC. 203. SMALL BUSINESS VOUCHER PROGRAM.

    Section 1003 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16393) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                striking ``, and may require the Director of a single-
                purpose research facility,'' and inserting ``(as 
                defined in section 2) and the Director of each single-
                purpose research facility'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by striking ``increase'' and inserting 
                        ``encourage''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``collaborative 
                        research,'' and inserting ``research, 
                        development, demonstration, and commercial 
                        application activities, including product 
                        development,'';
                    (C) in paragraph (2), by striking ``procurement and 
                collaborative research'' and inserting ``procurement 
                and the activities described in paragraph (1)'';
                    (D) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) by inserting ``facilities,'' before 
                        ``training''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``procurement and 
                        collaborative research activities'' and 
                        inserting ``procurement and the activities 
                        described in paragraph (1)''; and
                    (E) in paragraph (5), by striking ``for the program 
                under subsection (b)'' and inserting ``and metrics for 
                the programs under subsections (b) and (c)'';
            (2) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections 
        (d) and (e), respectively;
            (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
    ``(c) Small Business Voucher Program.--
            ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Director.--The term `Director' means--
                            ``(i) the Director of each National 
                        Laboratory; and
                            ``(ii) the Director of each single-purpose 
                        research facility.
                    ``(B) National laboratory.--The term `National 
                Laboratory' has the meaning given the term in section 
                2.
                    ``(C) Program.--The term `program' means the 
                program established under paragraph (2).
                    ``(D) Small business concern.--The term `small 
                business concern' has the meaning given such term in 
                section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
            ``(2) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Technology Transfer Coordinator appointed under section 
        1001(a), and in consultation with the Directors, shall 
        establish a program to provide small business concerns with 
        vouchers under paragraph (3)--
                    ``(A) to achieve the goal described in subsection 
                (a)(1); and
                    ``(B) to improve the products, services, and 
                capabilities of small business concerns in the mission 
                space of the Department.
            ``(3) Vouchers.--Under the program, the Directors are 
        authorized to provide to small business concerns vouchers to be 
        used at National Laboratories and single-purpose research 
        facilities for--
                    ``(A) research, development, demonstration, 
                technology transfer, or commercial application 
                activities; or
                    ``(B) any other activities that the applicable 
                Director determines appropriate.
            ``(4) Expedited approval.--The Secretary, working with the 
        Directors, shall establish a streamlined approval process for 
        financial assistance agreements signed between--
                    ``(A) small business concerns selected to receive a 
                voucher under the program; and
                    ``(B) the National Laboratories and single-purpose 
                research facilities.
            ``(5) Cost-sharing requirement.--In carrying out the 
        program, the Secretary shall require cost-sharing in accordance 
        with section 988.
            ``(6) Report.--In accordance with section 307(a) of the 
        Energizing Technology Transfer Act, the Secretary shall report 
        annually on the progress and implementation of the small 
        business voucher program established under this section, 
        including the number and locations of small businesses that 
        received grants under this program.''; and
            (4) in subsection (e) (as so redesignated), by striking 
        ``for activities under this section'' and inserting ``for 
        activities under subsection (b)'' and inserting at the end 
        ``and for activities under subsection (c) $25,000,000 for each 
        of fiscal years 2021 through 2025''.

SEC. 204. ENTREPRENEURIAL LEAVE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall delegate to Directors the 
authority to carry out an entrepreneurial leave program (referred to in 
this section as the ``program'') to allow National Laboratory employees 
to take a full leave of absence from their position, with the option to 
return to that or a comparable position up to 3 years later, or a 
partial leave of absence, to advance the commercial application of 
energy and related technologies relevant to the mission of the 
Department.
    (b) Termination Authority.--Directors shall retain the authority to 
terminate National Laboratory employees that participate in the program 
if such employees are found to violate terms prescribed by the National 
Laboratory at which such employee is employed.
    (c) Licensing.--To reduce barriers to participation in the program, 
the Secretary shall delegate to the Directors the requirement to 
establish streamlined mechanisms for facilitating the licensing of 
technology that is the focus of National Laboratory employees who 
participate in the program.
    (d) Report.--In accordance with section 307(a) of this Act, the 
Secretary shall report annually on the utilization of this authority at 
national laboratories, including the number of employees who 
participate in this program at each national laboratory and the number 
of employees who take a permanent leave from their positions at 
national laboratories as a result of participating in this program.
    (e) Federal Ethics.--Nothing in this section shall affect existing 
Federal ethics rules applicable to Federal personnel.

SEC. 205. NATIONAL LABORATORY EMPLOYEE OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT AUTHORITY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall delegate to Directors of 
National Laboratories the authority to allow their employees--
            (1) to engage in outside employment, including start-up 
        companies based on licensing technologies developed at National 
        Laboratories and consulting in their areas of expertise, and 
        receive compensation from such entities; and
            (2) to engage in outside activities related to their areas 
        of expertise at the National Laboratory and may allow 
        employees, in their employment capacity at such outside 
        employment, to access the National Laboratories under the same 
        contracting mechanisms as non-laboratory employees and 
        entities, in accordance with appropriate conflict of interest 
        protocols.
    (b) Requirements.--If a Director elects to use the authority 
granted by subsection (a) of this section, the Director, or their 
designee, shall--
            (1) require employees to disclose to and obtain approval 
        from the Director or their designee prior to engaging in any 
        outside employment;
            (2) develop and require appropriate conflict of interest 
        protocols for employees that engage in outside employment; and
            (3) maintain the authority to terminate employees engaging 
        in outside employment if they are found to violate terms, 
        including conflict of interest protocols, mandated by the 
        Director.
    (c) Additional Restrictions.--Employees engaging in outside 
employment may not--
            (1) sacrifice, hamper, or impede their duties at the 
        National Laboratory;
            (2) engage in activities related to outside employment 
        using National Laboratory government equipment, property, or 
        resources, unless such activities are performed under National 
        Laboratory contracting mechanisms, such as Cooperative Research 
        and Development Agreement or Strategic Partnership Projects, 
        whereby all conflicts of interest requirements apply; or
            (3) use their position at a National Laboratory to provide 
        an unfair competitive advantage to an outside employer or 
        start-up activity.
    (d) Federal Ethics.--Nothing in this section shall affect existing 
Federal ethics rules applicable to Federal personnel.

SEC. 206. TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION FUND.

    Section 1001(e) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
16391(e)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) Technology Commercialization Fund.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Technology Transfer Coordinator established in section 1001(a) 
        of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16391(a)), shall 
        establish a Technology Commercialization Fund (hereafter 
        referred to as the `Fund'), using nine-tenths of one percent of 
        the amount of appropriations made available to the Department 
        for applied energy research, development, demonstration, and 
        commercial application for each fiscal year, to be used to 
        provide, in accordance with the cost-sharing requirements under 
        section 988, funds to national laboratories to promote 
        promising energy technologies for commercial purposes.
            ``(2) Applications.--
                    ``(A) Considerations.--The Secretary shall develop 
                criteria for evaluating applications for funding under 
                this section, which may include--
                            ``(i) the potential that a proposed 
                        technology will result in a commercially 
                        successful product within a reasonable 
                        timeframe; and
                            ``(ii) the relative maturity of a proposed 
                        technology for commercial application.
                    ``(B) Selections.--In awarding funds under this 
                section, the Secretary may give special consideration 
                to applications that involve at least one applicant 
                that has participated in an entrepreneurial or 
                commercialization training program, such as Energy 
                Innovation Corps.
            ``(3) Annual report.--The Secretary shall include in the 
        annual report required under subsection (h)(2)--
                    ``(A) a description of the projects carried out 
                with awards from the Fund for that fiscal year;
                    ``(B) each project's cost-share for that fiscal 
                year; and
                    ``(C) each project's partners for that fiscal year.
            ``(4) Evaluation.--In accordance with section 307(b) of the 
        Energizing Technology Transfer Act, the Secretary shall submit 
        3 years after the enactment of that Act and every 3 years 
        thereafter to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
        Committee of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
        Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate an evaluation on the 
        long-term commercial success of projects that received awards 
        from the Fund.
            ``(5) Technology commercialization fund report.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                date of enactment of the Energizing Technology Transfer 
                Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
                Science, Space, and Technology and Committee on 
                Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
                Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and Committee 
                on Appropriations of the Senate a report on the current 
                and recommended implementation of the Fund.
                    ``(B) Contents.--The report under subparagraph (A) 
                shall include--
                            ``(i) a summary, with supporting data, of 
                        how much Department program offices contribute 
                        to and use the Fund each year, including a list 
                        of current funding restrictions;
                            ``(ii) recommendations on how to improve 
                        implementation and administration of the Fund; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) an analysis on how to spend funds 
                        optimally on technology areas that have the 
                        greatest need and opportunity for commercial 
                        application, rather than spending funds at the 
                        programmatic level or under current funding 
                        restrictions.''.

SEC. 207. SIGNATURE AUTHORITY.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary 
shall delegate to Directors of the National Laboratories signature 
authority with respect to any agreement described in subsection (b) the 
total cost of which, including the National Laboratory contributions 
and project recipient cost share, is less than $1,000,000, if such an 
agreement falls within the scope of--
            (1) the strategic plan for the National Laboratory or a 
        master scope of work that has been approved by the Department; 
        or
            (2) the most recent budget approved by Congress for 
        Department activities to be carried out by the National 
        Laboratory.
    (b) Agreements.--Subsection (a) applies to--
            (1) a cooperative research and development agreement;
            (2) a strategic partnership project;
            (3) prize competitions;
            (4) an agreement for commercializing technology; or
            (5) any other agreement determined to be appropriate by the 
        Secretary, in collaboration with the Directors.
    (c) Administration.--
            (1) Accountability.--The Director of the affected National 
        Laboratory and the affected contractor shall carry out an 
        agreement under this section in accordance with applicable 
        policies of the Department, including by ensuring that the 
        agreement does not compromise any national security, economic, 
        or environmental interest of the United States.
            (2) Certification.--The Director of the affected National 
        Laboratory and the affected contractor shall certify that each 
        activity carried out under a project for which an agreement is 
        entered into under this section does not present, or minimizes, 
        any apparent conflict of interest, and avoids or neutralizes 
        any actual conflict of interest, as a result of the agreement 
        under this section.
            (3) Availability of records.--Not later than 30 days after 
        the date on which a Director enters an agreement under this 
        section, such Director shall submit to the Secretary for 
        monitoring and review all records of the National Laboratory 
        relating to the agreement.
    (d) Approval.--Upon granting the signature authority under in 
subsection (a), the Secretary may not require any additional reviews or 
approvals of draft agreements, statements of work, or other documents 
for agreements that meet the criteria under subsection (a).
    (e) Exception.--This section does not apply to any agreement with a 
foreign-controlled entity or entity under the majority control of any 
foreign entity.
    (f) Report.--In accordance with section 307(a) of this Act, the 
Secretary shall submit annually information on the number and types of 
agreements signed using the authorities granted under this section.
    (g) Evaluation.--Not later than 3 years after the enactment of this 
Act the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources of the Senate an evaluation of the efficacy of 
reducing administrative burden for agreements signed using the 
authorities granted under this section.
    (h) Conforming Amendment.--Section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler 
Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 
                subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and indenting 
                the subparagraphs appropriately;
                    (B) by striking ``Each Federal agency'' and 
                inserting the following:
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
        each Federal agency''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Exception.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), in 
        accordance with section 207 of the Energizing Technology 
        Transfer Act, approval by the Secretary of Energy shall not be 
        required for any agreement proposed to be entered into by a 
        National Laboratory of the Department of Energy, the total cost 
        of which, including the National Laboratory contributions and 
        project recipient cost share, is less than $1,000,000.''; and
            (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``subsection (a)(1)'' 
        each place it appears and inserting ``subsection (a)(1)(A)''.

             TITLE III--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY MODERNIZATION

SEC. 301. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAM.

    Title X of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16391 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 1012. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall carry out a program, to 
be led by the Technology Transfer Coordinator appointed in section 
1001(a) who shall report directly to, and be appointed by, the 
Secretary, and shall be the principal advisor to the Secretary on all 
matters relating to technology transfer and commercial application.
    ``(b) Mission.--The mission of the program shall be--
            ``(1) to expand the commercial impact of the research 
        investments of the Department; and
            ``(2) to advance the commercial application of technologies 
        that reduce energy use, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and 
        other pollutants, improve energy efficiency, mitigate other 
        negative environmental consequences, or support other missions 
        of the Department.
    ``(c) Goals.--
            ``(1) In general.--In carrying out the program, the 
        Technology Transfer Coordinator shall, with respect to 
        commercial application activities, meet all of the goals 
        described in paragraph (2).
            ``(2) Goals described.--The goals referred to in paragraph 
        (1) are the following:
                    ``(A) Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions or 
                other pollutants.
                    ``(B) Improvement of energy efficiency.
                    ``(C) Improvement of economic competitiveness.
                    ``(D) Enhancement of domestic energy security and 
                national security.
                    ``(E) Enhancement of the domestic workforce 
                relevant to energy and other sectors relevant to the 
                mission of the Department.
    ``(d) Hiring and Management.--To carry out the program authorized 
in this section, the Under Secretary for Science may appoint personnel 
using the authorities in section 306 of this Act.
    ``(e) Collaboration.--In carrying out the mission and activities of 
the program, the Technology Transfer Coordinator shall coordinate with 
the senior leadership of the Department, other relevant offices of the 
Department, the Directors, the National Laboratories, the Technology 
Transfer Working Group established under section 1001(d), the 
Technology Transfer Policy Board, and other stakeholders, including 
private industry.
    ``(f) Report.--In accordance with section 307(a) of this Act, the 
Secretary shall report annually on the activities carried out by this 
program pertaining to the mission of the program in subsection (b) and 
the goals in subsection (c).
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the activities authorized in 
this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.''.

SEC. 302. MANAGEMENT OF DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.

    (a) Management of Department of Energy Demonstration Projects.--The 
Secretary, shall establish a program to conduct project management and 
oversight of demonstration projects that receive more than $50,000,000 
in funding from the Department, in coordination with relevant staff 
from Department program offices. The purposes of this program are to--
            (1) conduct evaluation of demonstration project proposals 
        prior to selection of a project for funding;
            (2) conduct independent oversight of the execution of a 
        demonstration project once funding has been awarded for such 
        project; and
            (3) ensure a balanced portfolio of investments in clean 
        energy technology demonstration projects.
    (b) Demonstration Project Management Employees.--
            (1) Authority.--In carrying out the program under 
        subsection (a), the Under Secretary for Science shall appoint 
        at least 2 full time employees to achieve the purposes of the 
        program outlined in subsection (a) in coordination with 
        relevant staff at Department program offices.
            (2) Hiring authority.--To carry out the program authorized 
        in this section, the Under Secretary for Science may hire 
        personnel using the authorities in section 306 of this Act.
    (c) Duties.--In carrying out the program in subsection (a), 
employees under this section shall work with relevant staff from 
Department program offices to--
            (1) evaluate demonstration project proposals, including the 
        scope, technical specifications, maturity of design, funding 
        profile, estimated costs, proposed schedule, proposed technical 
        and financial milestones, and potential for commercial success 
        based on economic and policy projections;
            (2) develop independent cost estimates of demonstration 
        project proposals, when appropriate;
            (3) recommend to the director of a program office whether 
        to fund a demonstration project proposal;
            (4) oversee the execution of the demonstration projects 
        that receive funding from the Department under this section and 
        conduct reviews of ongoing projects, which may include 
        reconciling estimated costs as compared to actual costs and 
        evaluating progress of the project based on the proposed 
        schedule and technical and financial milestones, and provide 
        such reviews to the Secretary; and
            (5) assess lessons learned and implement improvements to 
        evaluate and oversee demonstration projects carried out under 
        this section.
    (d) Project Termination.--Should an ongoing demonstration project 
receive an unfavorable review under subsection (c)(4), the director of 
a Department program office or their designee may cease funding the 
demonstration project and reallocate the remaining funds to new or 
existing demonstration projects carried out by that program office.
    (e) Coordination.--In establishing and carrying out the program, 
the Secretary shall coordinate with project management and acquisition 
management entities within the Department, including the Office of 
Project Management, and relevant professional organizations in project 
management, construction, cost estimation, and other relevant fields.
    (f) Reporting.--In accordance with section 307(a), the Secretary 
shall report annually on the utilization of the authority granted under 
this section, including a summary of--
            (1) any demonstration projects currently being carried out 
        under this section; and
            (2) a summary of the reviews under subsection (c)(4) of any 
        ongoing demonstration projects carried out under this section.
    (g) Evaluation by Comptroller General.--Not later than 3 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act the Comptroller General 
shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate an evaluation on the operation of the program 
established under this section, including--
            (1) the processes and procedures used to evaluate 
        demonstration project proposals and oversee demonstration 
        projects that receive funding under this section;
            (2) any recommended changes to the program, including the 
        structure and the processes and procedures used to evaluate and 
        oversee demonstration projects that receive funding under this 
        section; and
            (3) any recommended changes to the structure of this 
        program to improve the success in meeting the program purposes 
        under subsection (a).

SEC. 303. STREAMLINING PRIZE COMPETITIONS.

    Section 1008 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16396) is 
amended by inserting after subsection (d) the following (and 
redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections (g) and (h), 
respectively):
    ``(e) Coordination.--In carrying out subsection (a), and for any 
prize competitions under section 105 of the America Creating 
Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, 
Education, and Science Reauthorization Act of 2010, the Secretary 
shall--
            ``(1) designate at least one full time employee to serve as 
        a Department-wide point of contact on prize competitions;
            ``(2) issue Department-wide guidance on the design, 
        development, and implementation of prize competitions;
            ``(3) collect and disseminate best practices on the design 
        and administration of prize competitions;
            ``(4) streamline contracting mechanisms for the 
        implementation of prize competitions; and
            ``(5) provide training and prize competition design 
        support, as necessary, to Department staff to develop prize 
        competitions and challenges.
    ``(f) Report.--In accordance with section 307(a) of the Energizing 
Technology Transfer Act, the Secretary shall report annually on a 
description of any prize competitions carried out using this authority, 
the total amount of prizes awarded along with any private sector 
contributions, the methods used for solicitation and evaluation, and a 
description of how each prize competition advanced the mission of the 
Department.''.

SEC. 304. MILESTONE-BASED DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.

    (a) In General.--Acting under section 646(g) of the Department of 
Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7256(g)), notwithstanding paragraph 
(10) of such section, the Secretary may carry out demonstration 
projects as a milestone-based demonstration project that requires 
particular technical and financial milestones to be met before a 
participant is awarded grants by the Department through a competitive 
award process.
    (b) Requirements.--In carrying out milestone-based demonstration 
projects under the authority in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, for 
each relevant project--
            (1) request proposals from eligible entities, as determined 
        by the Secretary, including--
                    (A) a business plan, that may include a plan for 
                scalable manufacturing and a plan for addressing supply 
                chain gaps;
                    (B) a plan for raising private sector investment; 
                and
                    (C) proposed technical and financial milestones, 
                including estimated project timelines and total costs; 
                and
            (2) award funding of a predetermined amount to projects 
        that successfully meet proposed milestones under paragraph 
        (1)(C) or for expenses deemed reimbursable by the Secretary, in 
        accordance with terms negotiated for an individual award;
            (3) require cost sharing in accordance with section 988 of 
        the Energy Policy Act of 2005; and
            (4) communicate regularly with selected eligible entities 
        and, if the Secretary deems appropriate, exercise small amounts 
        of flexibility for technical and financial milestones as 
        projects mature.
    (c) Awards.--For the program established under subsection (a)--
            (1) an award recipient shall be responsible for all costs 
        until milestones are achieved, or reimbursable expenses are 
        reviewed and verified by the Department; and
            (2) should an awardee not meet the milestones described in 
        subsection (a), the Secretary or their designee may end the 
        partnership with an award recipient and use the remaining funds 
        in the ended agreement for new or existing projects carried out 
        under this section.
    (d) Project Management.--In carrying out projects under this 
program and assessing the completion of their milestones in accordance 
with subsection (b), the Secretary shall consult with experts that 
represent diverse perspectives and professional experiences, including 
those from the private sector, to ensure a complete and thorough 
review.
    (e) Report.--In accordance with section 307(a), the Secretary shall 
report annually on any demonstration projects carried out using the 
authorities under this section.

SEC. 305. COST-SHARE WAIVER EXTENSION.

    (a) Section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended in 
subsection (b)(4)(B) by striking ``this paragraph'' and inserting ``the 
Energizing Technology Transfer Act''.
    (b) Section 108 of the Department of Energy Research and Innovation 
Act is amended in subparagraph (b) by striking ``this Act'' everywhere 
it appears and replacing with ``the Energizing Technology Transfer 
Act''.

SEC. 306. SPECIAL HIRING AUTHORITY FOR SCIENTIFIC, ENGINEERING, AND 
              PROJECT MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL.

    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary for Science shall have the 
authority to--
            (1) make appointments of scientific, engineering, and 
        professional personnel, without regard to civil service laws, 
        to assist the Department in meeting specific project or 
        research needs;
            (2) fix the basic pay of any employee appointed under this 
        section at a rate to be determined by the Under Secretary at 
        rates not in excess of the Executive Schedule (EX-II) without 
        regard to the civil service laws; and
            (3) pay any employee appointed under this section payments 
        in addition to basic pay, except that the total amount of 
        additional payments paid to an employee under this subsection 
        for any 12-month period shall not exceed the lesser of the 
        following amounts:
                    (A) $25,000.
                    (B) The amount equal to 25 percent of the annual 
                rate of basic pay of that employee.
                    (C) The amount of the limitation that is applicable 
                for a calendar year under section 5307(a)(1) of title 
                5, United States Code.
    (b) Term.--
            (1) In general.--The term of any employee appointed under 
        this section shall not exceed 3 years unless otherwise 
        authorized in law.
            (2) Termination.--The Under Secretary for Science shall 
        have the authority to terminate any employee appointed under 
        this section at any time based on performance or changing 
        project or research needs of the Department.

SEC. 307. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER REPORTS AND EVALUATION.

    (a) Annual Report.--As part of the updated technology transfer 
execution plan required each year under section 1001(h)(2) of the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16391(g)(2)), the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the Senate a report on the progress and implementation of programs 
established under sections 103, 203, 204, 205, 207, 301, 302, 303, and 
304 of this Act and section 1001(e) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
(42 U.S.C. 16391(e)).
    (b) Evaluation.--Not later than 3 years after the enactment of this 
Act and every 3 years thereafter the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
the Senate an evaluation on the extent to which programs established 
under sections 102, 103, 104, and 202 of this Act and section 1001(e) 
of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16391(e)) are achieving 
success based on relevant short-term and long-term metrics.
    (c) Report on Technology Transfer Gaps.--Not later than 3 years 
after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into an 
agreement with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and 
Medicine to submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate a report on programmatic gaps that exist to 
advance the commercial application of technologies developed at the 
National Laboratories.
                                 <all>